Apparatus for mixing gases



Sapt. 27, 1932. A. F. JENKIN$ 1,880,140

APPARATUS FOR MIXING GASES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 11. 1929 S pt, 27, 1932. A. F. JENKINS 1,880,140

APPARATUS FOR MIXING GASES I Filed Oct. 11, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tr AH;mumnunuuunuTflIHImW v a; w 3% U zfl t i:

Qwuwwto v Patented Sept. 27, 1932 UNITED. STATES PATENT orFicE ALEXANDER F. JENKINS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND APPARATUS FOR MIXING GASES Application filed October 11,1929. 'Serial No. 399,006.

The present invention relates'to gasmixing apparatus and particularly to apparatus for mixing rich and lean gases for the purpose of obtaining a mixed gas having acornposition of such character that ltis suitable for cutting and welding operations orthe like.

Thus the invention contemplates the enrichment of gases such as ordinary c1ty 11- luminating gas, coke-oven gas, or other bygas and a smaller proportion of relatively expensive gas, and furthermore is not so dangerous to handle or work'with as the straight acetylene or other gas, being less explosive. It has alsoibeen found, that, by using a mixture of acetylene in some leaner gases the cutting of metals is materially facilitated, and, when the mixed gas is used for heating purposes, the heating of any given object can be more expeditiously accom "-plished. Furthermore, the mixed gas, does not case harden the metal as when acetylene or richer gases are used.

The invention may have various embodiments and in the accompanying drawings one such embodiment is illustrated. by way of example.

1n the drawings:

Figure 1 isa front elevation of a gas and air mixing device of the portable type, in which the essentials of the invention are embodied;

made as a stationary device or may be made Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

portable For the great majority of uses portability is desirable and hence a portable apparatus is illustrated in the drawings and will be now described in detail. It will be realized however that where'the apparatus is to be permanently installed up a fixed 5 base its appearance will be considerably altered, the essentialelements of the combination however remaining the same.

In the drawings an elongated cylindrical tube is indicated at 10, this tube being closed at the top by cap 11 and at thebottom by cap 12 and being provided with'three detachable legs 13 by means of which it is sup- 7 ported in a vertical position some distance above the ground or floor. The lowermost cap 12 is apertured to centrally receive a short pipe or coupling member 14, and clamped upon this member 14 is one end of a flexible conduit 15 by means of which the mixed gases under proper pressure are conducted away to the point of ultimate use, which may be for instance a cutting or weld-v ing torc i The upper cap 11 is apertured to receive with a tight fit a vertical pipe 16 and through this pipe regulated quantities of two gases pass into the mixing chamber, in which chamber their intimate admixture is further facilitated; The mixing chamber also con- 30 stitutes a reservoir, which tends to steady the flowfro'm the discharge conduit.

The two gases to be intermixed are both fed into pipe 16 above cap 11 and to some extent this pipe serves as a mixing chamber priorsto the delivery of the gases into the enlarged mixing chamber 10. The initial admixture of the two gases is eflected within pipe 16 at about the point indicated at 17, pipe 16 being here provided with a branch pipe 18. The upper end of conduit 16 is in communication with a source of gas supply, for instance, with a flexible conduit 19 which leads to an illuminating gas main or the like, I this connection including, in the order named, a short conduit 20 which leads to a pressure regulating or reducing valve 21, which may be of the type shown'in my Patent No. 1,603,112 issued October 12, .1926, a short vertically'disposed conduit 22, a second air of re ulators are interconnected so as pressure reducing regulator 23 and a vertically disposed pipe or conduit member 24 to the lower end of which the flexible conduit 19 is attached. Branch pipe 18 is brought into communication with a flexible conduit 25 which may be connected to any suitable source of rich gas, such as acetylene, by a somewhat similar system of conduits and pressure reducing regulators. Thus ipe 18 is in communication with the outlet port of the flow controlling valve 26 the inlet v end of which is connected bya conduit 27 with the outlet of pressure regulator 28 and the inlet end of pressure regulator .28 being connected by a conduit 29 "with the outlet of theprimary pressure, regulator 30, which is directly connected by conduit 31-with the flexible conduit 25. Each of the pressure regulators above described is provided with a gaugeby means of which the pressure of the gas on the outlet side thereof can be observ,ed, 'these gauges being indicated at 23, 21,28 and respectively.'

The two primary pressure regulators 23 and 30 are individually adjustable by means of the adjusting handles 23 and 30 respectively while the upper pair, or secondary tobe simultaneously adjustable as well as being individually adjustable.

Thusthe adjusting stemof each upper regulator has threaded engagement with a cross barv 32, but no threaded engagement with the associated regulator shell, being free tomove axially therein. 1

Rotatably supported in this cross bar intermedite the regulators is an adjusting screw 33, which has threaded engagement with a member 34 secured to a transverse brace 35, the ends of which are welded or otherwise suitably secured to a circular guard ring 36, welded at one point to mixing ohamber 10. Rotation of adjusting screw 33 therefore results in movement of cross bar 32 and simultaneous adjustment, of regulators 21 and 28 to control the flow of gases therethrough respectively. Nevertheless, as will be apparent, the regulators 21 and 28 may be easily adjusted individually. I find this arrangement, permitting individual or simultaneous adjustment of the upper regulators, of great advantage in the. operation of the apparatus.

Check valves are indicated at 37 and 38,

these valves being provided to prevent one gas from backing up into, the conduit through which the other gas is supplied for any appreciable supply. I A r The details of the flow controlling valve i 26 are shown in Figures 3 and 4. This valve comprises a casing or valve body 40 which is cylindrical. One end is closed by a bottom cap 41 and the other end'by a top cap 42 and coupling. 43. Intermediate the .ends

valve body is provided with a partition plate 5 44 having a series of ducts or small conduits 45 passing therethrough. The valve member is indicated at 46 and will be seen to comprise a disc like member having a portion of its circular margin cut away, as at 47. The valve is upon the end of a valve stem 48 which passes through the cap 42 and is provided' with a handle 49 by means of which the valve may be rotated. The series of apertures or ducts 45 extend only around about onethirdof theperiphery of the division plate 44 and the cut away portion of valve 46 is of suchlength that, when the valve is turned to one position, all of these ducts or ports are uncovered; 'By'rotating the valve in either direction fromthis position one or more of the ports may be closed. 1 A pointer 50 which plays over a scale 51 indicates the position of the valve from the outside.

, While I may support the various pressure regulators and other elements of the mechanism in any desired manner I prefer to sup port them upon the mixing chamber lO and to this end I secured two or more transverse While the vertical pipes are thus firmly supported I prefer to also brace them trans-.

versely by the additional brace 53, the ends of which are-attached to the circular guard ring 36, so that the whole structure is firmly. tied together. The guard ring 36 serves to protect the gauges and regulators as well as to providea support for the cross braces.

Under normal operating conditions, and

after having once so adjusted the regulators that the proper mixture of gases is obtained, it is only necessary, to decrease or increase the flow, to manipulate the upper regulators, and the valve 26. For very large increases and decreases of flow all four of the regulators maybe readjusted but ordinarily this is unnecessary. Of course, the regulators may be so manipulated, if desired, that vone gas only flows to the mixing chamber and thence to-the outlet conduit. 7

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A gas mixing unit comprising in combi I nation, a mixing chamber, two conduits for gases of different properties leading to sai chamber, an individually adjustable pressure regulator in each conduit, and an additional pressure regulator in each conduit, each such additional pressure regulator being individually adjustable and both additional regulators being interconnected for simultaneous adjustment, for the purpose set forth.

2. A gas mixing apparatus comprising in combination, a mixing chamber, two conduits for gases of different properties leadingto said chamber, an individually adjustable pressure regulator in each conduit, an additional pressure regulator in each conduit, each such additional pressure regulator being individually adjustable and both additional regulators being interconnected for simultaneous adjustment, and a valve in one of said conduits controlling the flow of gas therethrough, said valve being positioned intermediate the mixing chamber and one of'said regulators. V

3. A gas mixing apparatus comprising, in combination, a mixing chamber, two conduits for gases of different properties leading to said chamber, a pressure regulator connected with each conduit so as to control the pressure of the gas passing therethrough,each such regulator including a body and an adjusting screw, a member to which both adjusting screws are adjustably secured, and means for adjusting said member to effect the simultaneous movement of said adjusting screws.

l. A gas mixing apparatus comprising, in combination, a mixing chamber, two conduits for gases of different properties leading to said chamber, a pressure regulator connected with each conduit so as to controlthe pressure of the gas passing therethrough, each such regulator including a body and an adjusting screw, said adjusting screw project'- ing through an aperture in the wall of said body and being adapted to move freely through said aperture, a member with which both adjusting screws have threaded engagement, and means for adjusting said member to elfect the simultaneous movement of said adjusting screws.

5. A gas mixing apparatus comprising, in combination, a mixing chamber, two conduits for gases of difierent properties leading to said chamber, a pressure regulator connected with each conduit so as to control the pressure of the gas passing therethrough, each such regulator including a body and an adjusting screw, said adjusting screws being disposed in parallel relationship, a member disposed transversely to both adjusting screws and having threaded engagement therewith so that said screws may be individually adjusted relatively to said member, and means for adjusting said member relatively to the regula tor bodies, whereby the adjusting screws may be simultaneously adjusted.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

ALEXANDER F. J ENKINS. 

